<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Fairy Lights on Winter Nights by HarkaSun</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28267671">Fairy Lights on Winter Nights</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/HarkaSun/pseuds/HarkaSun'>HarkaSun</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Magic of Christmas, and Other Festive Tales [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shadowhunters (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alec Lightwood Loves Magnus Bane, Christmas Decorations, Christmas Kisses, Christmas Lights, Christmas Tree, Domestic Fluff, M/M, Making Out, Mistletoe, seriously almost a sinful amount of kisses, tangled up in fairy lights</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:06:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,468</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28267671</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/HarkaSun/pseuds/HarkaSun</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Alec and Magnus decorate their first Christmas tree together. There is an agreeable mishap with the fairy lights and a romantic encounter with some mistletoe.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Magic of Christmas, and Other Festive Tales [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2070840</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>57</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Fairy Lights on Winter Nights</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Part 2 of Malec's Christmas - thank you so much to those who read, left kudos, and/or commented on the last one! Hopefully I'll get another posted tomorrow too, so these incurable romantics can have some Christmas Eve shenanigans! Kind of leads on from the last one, but can be read as a stand-alone.</p><p>(Rated teen and up solely because of the implied sex, but no actual graphic descriptions)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“No, no, left a little. No, turn it left, not slide it left... Okay, now that’s too far.”</p><p>“Magnus, it doesn’t have to be perfect.”</p><p>“Well, if you let me use my magic—”</p><p>“Hey, you promised.”</p><p>Magnus sighs and Alec glances back through the clustered pine needles to see him pinching the bridge of his nose.</p><p>They picked the tree up on their way back from the Romanian Christmas market. Alec had picked one out with Magnus’s blessing, cut it down himself. As little as Magnus understands about Alec’s insistence to do things the mundane way, Alec strongly suspects that he secretly enjoys seeing his shadowhunter get a little dirty, using his hands in a practical, laborious way.</p><p>So far, they have spent a good ten minutes just putting the tree up in its stand and a further twenty in positioning it to Magnus’s desire. Despite such a long life, Alec knows that Magnus is not a particularly patient man.</p><p>Alec shimmies himself out from under the tree, where he had been shifting the stand around rather than prickling his skin with trying to shove his arms through the branches, or getting sap all over his hands from grabbing the trunk. He runs a hand through his hair to scatter the needles that had fallen on him, stepping backwards to stand beside Magnus, eyeing the tree carefully.</p><p>“Magnus, it’s fine.”</p><p>“Are you sure it’s straight?”</p><p>“I am not the right person to be asking about that.”</p><p>Magnus scoffs and leans up against Alec. “Oh, I know. You’re as bent as the tree.”</p><p>“The tree’s perfect, Magnus. It looks fine.” He ducks his head to kiss his husband’s temple, gratified when Magnus leans into the press of his lips. “Lights now,” he says, “and then the ribbon and tinsel, then we can put the ornaments on.”</p><p>Magnus hums his agreement. “Alright. I’ll unwrap the ornaments. Will you put the lights on?” he asks, his tone absent almost as he peruses the ornaments they bought.</p><p>Alec grins, says “of course,” and wastes exactly zero time in unboxing the lights, twirling out the plug and the excess wire in one quick flourish, his eyes fixed on his husband. Magnus hasn’t noticed his dramatic movements. It only causes the shadowhunter’s smile to widen further.</p><p>“So distracted,” he pouts, lassoes the cord of lights over Magnus’s and around his chest, causing the warlock to startle and chuckle his surprise. “Come here.”</p><p>Using the rope of lights to reel him in, Alec coaxes Magnus forward and, once within reach, grabs his hips and pulls his husband flush against his chest. Magnus reaches up to hold his cheek when Alec surges down for a kiss. He claims Magnus’s mouth greedily, hungrily. He tastes like chocolate and cinnamon sugar and Alec licks his lips when their kiss breaks.</p><p>“My, my,” Magnus utters, and his voice aims for nonchalance but his face is flushed and his eyes are shining like his glamour is half down, “I married a demanding one, didn’t I?”</p><p>“You taste like chocolate,” observes Alec dumbly, equally as flustered, but hiding it terribly.</p><p>Magnus chuckles softly. “At a guess, I’d say that’d be the cake we had in the market, you recall?”</p><p>Alec breathes out in realisation. “Do I taste like that?”</p><p>“Yes,” Magnus replies, almost a whisper, positively staring at Alec’s lips.</p><p>The shadowhunter elects not to disappoint him, and Magnus meets him eagerly halfway. Alec’s hands go to Magnus’s back, one splayed flat with spread fingers, the other still holding the tangle of Christmas lights. The is a tilt in their close bodies and Alec hastily switches the lights to the others hand in favour of supporting Magnus’s weight.</p><p>It happens often. They meet the wall with a gasp and Alec has to bring the lights to the front lest they poke into Magnus’s back. They collapse to the sofa and Alec discards then over Magnus’s shoulder in favour of clutching his husband’s face. Magnus’s arms drape over Alec’s shoulders, wrists linking at the nape of his neck, and Alec uses the opportunity to pull them both up from the sofa, hastily grabbing the lights as he goes, knowing in the back of his mind that Magnus is lassoed in them and they might tug too tight if they move too far away.</p><p>Their lips break and meet in wet gasps and the occasional soft moan of passion and the lights shift wherever they naturally go. It is over half an hour later that Alec has to change hands and the lights are nothing but the final tail, the bundle unravelled. With a frown, Alec gently pulls back from Magnus, opening his eyes when their lips break.</p><p>He laughs. He can’t help it. Magnus stares at him in confusion a moment, follows his gaze down and promptly dissolves into a fit of breathless laughter. The lights are wrapped around his chest, looped over his shoulders and his upper arms, as if he’s wearing a shirt of fairy lights.</p><p>“How in the name of your angel did you manage this?” Magnus chuckles, turning to inspect his back, like a slow dog chasing its tail.</p><p>Alec grins, looping his thumbs into the string of lights. “You have to let me plug it in now. I know you love your sparkle.”</p><p>In response, Magnus simply lifts a hand and snaps his fingers. The lights illuminate at the command of his magic, and Alec stares as they reflect from Magnus’s jewellery, making the gold around his throat and in his ears shine and the crimson sparkle of his jacket and his makeup glitter alluringly. Everything is red and gold and Alec can’t stand it.</p><p>His hands come to Magnus’s cheeks, holding him in place. “You are so beautiful.”</p><p>“Oh, and you are so romantic,” Magnus utters, “but my movement is incredibly limited and we need to get this tree decorated.” He waves a magic-engulfed hand and the string lights shudder and shoot towards the tree, covering it pot to point in glowing blubs. The plug slots itself into a nearby socket, the switch flicking on. “If you want to tie me up, I have to suggest something later in the evening.”</p><p>“I might just hold you to that,” says Alec, dropping a hand to his waist and leaning in close. “And I’ll find something to hold you later too.”</p><p>“Someone’s going to end up on the naughty list if he continues like this,” Magnus teases, kisses the underside of Alec’s jaw. “Now, I need some tunes while we decorate.”</p><p>Magnus insists on music of the Christmas variety and, once he starts humming along to the tunes, Alec is glad he agreed. The humming turns to quiet singing and the odd little skip of a dance step every now and then, as if Magnus if going through a technique in his head and absently performing every fourth or fifth step. It makes decorating the tree a slow process, because Alec is mainly staring at him, so Magnus is practically doing the entire thing.</p><p>Alec doesn’t know any of the words, but he hums along some when he gets the general gist of the choruses. Magnus makes Alec twirl him every so often, grabbing Alec’s hand and lifting his arm to pirouette under him. He kisses Alec after every one, lips pressing to his forehead and cheek and, finally, his mouth.</p><p>Alec just watches him, admires his dancing and the soothing timbre of his voice as he sings. The tree slowly becomes clustered with decorations hanging from the branches, glittering crimson baubles and shining golden stars above warm lights and a huge, red ribbon that snakes between the branches. Alec and Magnus each take their own in hand, choose a place for it on their tree. The glitter on Alec's snowflake ornament catches the light magically. The eyes of Magnus's cat ornament glow gold and gorgeous and Alec gazes at it fondly, pleased with his choice for his husband.</p><p>It is late by the time they complete the tree and Magnus steps back to Alec’s side to admire their work. The room is illuminated only by the warmth of the fairy lights. It’s a wonderful sight.</p><p>“You’re so good at decorating,” Alec praises, staring at the tree, taking it all in. “I bet you’d do this professionally if you were a mundane.”</p><p>“Decorate Christmas trees?”</p><p>“And other stuff,” says Alec, concerned now that Magnus may have taken offence in something intended to be a compliment. “I just mean that you have great taste.”</p><p>Magnus casts him a sly look. “Well, of course… I married you, didn’t I?”</p><p>A soft hum rumbles Alec’s throat, trying for nonchalance, but he can’t help the smile from touching his expression. Magnus eases himself from Alec’s one-armed hold, wandering to the side and Alec frowns, turns to watch him go. He’s heading for the bedroom. Pausing before he reaches the door, the warlock glances back to him, his eyes gleaming in the lights of the tree.</p><p>Alec grins his excitement, feeling the buzz right down in his stomach, and he turns to follow his husband, his muscles winding tight with anticipation.</p><p>Barely two metres away, he feels Magnus’s magic wrap around him, halting him in his tracks, and his smile turns soft, wondering exactly what it is that his husband is up to. The warlock saunters over to him, a hand pressed over his heart in mock surprise.</p><p>“Why, Alexander… how quaint of you, following mundane traditions to woo me.”</p><p>He casts a pointed look above Alec’s head and the shadowhunter glances up, smiling softly as he sees the mistletoe hanging from the ceiling, sprigs tied together with a red, silk ribbon. The white berries shine like pearls between deep green leaves, reflecting the warmth of the fairy lights.</p><p>“We’re supposed to kiss under the mistletoe, right?” queries Alec, flicking a tongue to wet his lips as Magnus came closer. “Why?”</p><p>“There are so many stories to it, Alec… There is a Norse myth that the goddess Frigg blessed the plant due to the berries being used to revive her son, Baldur. Her blessing promised a kiss to all who passed beneath it. Ancient Greeks associated the plant with fertility, so they did this at weddings. To the Romans, it represented peace… Life and love and peace, isn’t that beautiful?”</p><p>Alec can’t stop smiling. “I have something much more beautiful right here in front of me.”</p><p>Alec has never seen Magnus blush before—he didn’t believe the warlock to be capable of coyness—but there is certainly a new flush to his cheeks. “Sap,” chides Magnus, although his tone is playful.</p><p>Magnus carefully wraps his hands in the front of Alec’s jacket, smiling into the kiss that Alec leaves on his lips. Alec’s hands clasp either side of Magnus’s neck, keeping him close. When they break apart, it is only to stare into one another’s eyes. Magnus’s glow golden in the dim light.</p><p>“You’re so beautiful,” says Alec, his voice brimming with contentment, eyes full of love.</p><p>Magnus huffs and kisses him again. “I always make an effort when we have things to do… Watching you squirm through the whole day was so funny, making such an effort to keep it in your pants.” He curls a hand around Alec’s waist, pulling him in so their bodies fit together. “Look at you… pretty boy… fitting perfectly in every aspect of tall, dark and handsome.”</p><p>“Alright, alright,” Alec chuckles, closing his eyes as their noses brush at the tips. “<em>Now</em> who needs to keep it in their pants?”</p><p>“I don’t have to do anything of the sort. There’s nothing to do now except… well—” he strokes the curve of Alec’s temple “—whatever you want.”</p><p>A wicked gleam hit Alec’s eyes and Magnus anticipates the kiss that Alec lunges into his mouth, moving with the momentum and Alec caught him in a shallow dip, their lips never breaking contact. Magnus toes his shoes off as Alec is hauling him back upright by his hips, hands sliding up to push his jacket back over his shoulders and letting it drop to the floor.</p><p>Alec’s hands slide to his thighs, trying to pull at his legs, and Magnus breaks the kiss, breathing hard. “You sure you can hold me?”</p><p>“I’m a shadowhunter,” Alec growls, leaning in to kiss and lightly bite at Magnus’s throat, crowding him up against the nearest wall and forcing his husband’s legs to lift and wrap around his waist so he’s holding Magnus up from the ground.</p><p>Alec’s hips buck forward into Magnus’s own, kissing greedily at his neck, a hand cradling the back of his head to pull him closer. Magnus gasps and claws at Alec’s back, clutching him tight and close, pressed as near as they can get without actually becoming a single person.</p><p>“Alec,” he gasps and swallows hard. “Alexander…”</p><p>Alec’s fingers dig into the backs of Magnus’s thighs and he breathes hot and heavy against the warlock’s neck. “Love it when you call me that,” he whispers against warm skin.</p><p>When he uses his teeth, it isn’t hard. They’ve been through why Magnus can’t stand to be bitten properly on his neck—his time with Camille was far from idyllic—but he still enjoyed attention there. Alec walks the line carefully, but well. Experience has led him to the point he’s at now.</p><p>“Now, I think I promised you something,” Alec murmurs, through kisses.</p><p>A needful whine sounds in his ear and Alec shudders in pleasure at the noise, turns awkwardly to grab the spare ribbons from the table and carries them—and Magnus—into the bedroom, toeing the door shut behind them.</p><p>It doesn’t take long (by their standards anyway); barely three quarters of an hour has passed before Alec is collapsing atop his husband’s chest, breaths coming hard and his skin tacky with sweat. Magnus’s chest heaves under his head and Alec pushes himself up with a soft groan, reaching to untie the ribbon that binds Magnus’s wrists to the headboard of their bed.</p><p>“Gorgeous,” Alec utters breathily, kisses the flush that has risen high on Magnus’s cheeks.</p><p>Magnus huffs his clear approval, his eyes prising open so he can stare up at his husband. “Flattery will get you everywhere.”</p><p>Alec tilts his head at that, at the softness of Magnus’s gaze. “You’re embracing Christmas now, huh?” he teases, just because he can. “I know you find some of the arbitrary festivities a bit of a hassle—decorating the tree really set off your need for perfection—but we wouldn’t have these ribbons without it.”</p><p>Pushing his hands against the mattress, Magnus sits himself up enough to clasp Alec’s face in his hands. “For this face?” he says, kisses the curve of Alec’s smile. “Worth every second.”</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>